Aims

The overarching aim for English in the National Curriculum is to promote high standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils with a strong command of the spoken and written word, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment. The national curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils:

• read easily, fluently and with good understanding;

• develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information;

• acquire a wide vocabulary, an understanding of grammar and knowledge of linguistic conventions for reading, writing and spoken language;

• appreciate our rich and varied literary heritage;

• write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences;

• use discussion in order to learn; they should be able to elaborate and explain clearly their understanding and ideas;

• are competent in the arts of speaking and listening, making formal presentations, demonstrating to others and participating in debate.

Reading:

At Botley School we value good quality texts and as you walk around the school you will notice a fine selection of books to support all areas of learning.  As children learn to read we have a number of scheme books, however the school does not follow a discrete reading scheme, but instead we encourage children to read a variety of books through progressive ‘bands’. Many of these early readers are part of the ‘Oxford Reading Tree’. Under the guidance of their class teacher, the children choose books at a particular band until it is agreed they should move on to the next one.

We try to incorporate reading areas where possible in all classrooms, have whole class guided reading sessions alongside individual reading sessions on a 1:1 basis.  Reading to the children at the end of the school day is another chance for us to ensure that children are developing good reading habits from first class texts.

Writing

The programmes of study for writing at key stages 1 and 2 include:

• transcription (spelling and handwriting)

• composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing)

It is essential that teaching develops pupils’ competence in these two dimensions. In addition, pupils will be taught how to plan, revise and evaluate their writing.

Writing down ideas fluently depends on effective transcription: that is, on spelling quickly and accurately through knowing the relationship between sounds and letters (phonics) and understanding the morphology (word structure) and orthography (spelling structure) of words. Effective composition involves forming, articulating and communicating ideas, and then organising them coherently for a reader. This requires clarity, awareness of the audience, purpose and context, and an increasingly wide knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. Writing also depends on fluent, legible and, eventually, speedy handwriting.

Phonics

Phonics - reading

Children learn the English alphabetic code: first they learn one way to read the 40+ sounds and blend these sounds into words, then learn to read the same sounds with alternative graphemes.

They experience success from the very beginning. Lively phonic books are closely matched to their increasing knowledge of phonics and ‘tricky’ words and, as children re-read the stories, their fluency increases.

Along with a thought-provoking introduction, prompts for thinking out loud and discussion, children are helped to read with a storyteller’s voice.

Phonics - writing

The children write every day, rehearsing out loud what they want to say, before spelling the words using the graphemes and ‘tricky’ words they know.

They practise handwriting every day: sitting at a table comfortably, they learn correct letter formation and how to join letters speedily and legibly.

Children’s composition (ideas, vocabulary and grammar) is developed by drawing on their own experiences and talking about the stories they read.